The occasional robot waiting for Godot
by Seikan Houki
Summary: Various minifics catering to different comics by Osamu Tezuka, based off of a 100 themes list. Some pairings along with general fanfiction.
1. Meeting: Metropolis

**_1. Introduction_**  
**_Series: Metropolis_**  
**_Pairing: Kenichi/Tiima_**  
**_Comments: Ehm, this was short._**

* * *

_The girl seems transparent as if were she an angel._

She moves towards him, slowly- her skin glows with an otherworldly aura. It feels as if Kenichi for a moment could forget about all the burning inferno around him, thanks to the serene feeling she seems to have invoked.

She looks up at him, with eyes that seem pure, no, clear-And an innocent smile lights up her face.

"Wh-who are you?"

"Who are you?"

She tilts her head to the side and mimics the first words she's ever heard, and years after their first meeting, Kenichi still finds it hard to belive that she was a human creation.


	2. Love: Princess Knight

2. Love

**_Series: Princess Knight_**  
**_Pairing: Franz/Sapphire_**  
**_Comments: Based more on the anime than the manga, I think._**

The sun is just about to set, and the water in the lake has turned to gold. A lone figure sits in the gazebo, unaware of the fact that half the kingdom is looking for him.

"Should I liken thee to the being of a rose..."

After all, writing love letters is a serious thing, no matter how cheesy and frilly they can sound. Girl do love receiving them- He can just about picture the golden-haired maidens troubled blush as she reads the letter, and he hopes she might just write a reply to him. Well, that's just dreaming. He knows they're from different kingdoms, after, all, and since they've just evaded a war..

With a smirk, he slumps over the small table.

"A.. A love letter? Tha, that's.. F-for me?" is that what she'd say? Her long eyelashes would flutter briefly while she looked away, her short, black curls-

..Short, black curls?

He quickly shakes the idea from his head. How on earth did the golden-haired maiden turn into Prince Sapphire? It's probably time to return home. His head seems to be going funny.

* * *

"Hmm, what's this? It looks like a letter of somekind."

Sapphire scratches her head as she straightens the crumpled piece of paper out and starts reading: "Should I liken thee to the being of a rose.."

Moments later, she's clutching her stomach and has nearly doubled over with laughter. This far-too-flowery writing is impossible to take seriously, and has to be the most hilarious thing she's seen in a while.

"Ahaha, Wow. Whoever wrote _this_ must have serious problems!"


	3. Light: Vampires

**_3. Light_**  
**_Series: Vampires_**  
**_Character: Rock_**  
**_Comments: Multi-parter. Part 1 of 2._**

Rock smiles as he looks into the mirror. That's his name, now. It's what he's told his freinds to call him. Just like an American hero in the Hollywood movies, ready to save the world.

He adjusts his hat. There, it looks absolutely splendid on him, never mind that it's bought second hand- He couldn't afford anything new. Not after saving up for so long to dye his hair blonde, just like an action hero. That's what he's going to be when he grows up, he's decided. Though, he needs a family, first. He'll just have to stand being an orphan until then.

The grown-ups who work at the orphanedge keep treating him like a very small child. He hates being asked "Do you know what that word means?" and being talked to like he's three years old. And when he's sad, nobody's going to comfort him sincerely. Somebody might pat his back or hug him, but nobody's going to try and make him feel all better. It's because he's an orphan and orphans are all the same to them, so it can't be helped, can it?

The young blonde makes a dash for the doorway after glancing out the window. His friends are out in the playground, waiting for him.

He's ten years old and the sun is shining today.


	4. Dark: Vampires

**_4. Dark_**  
**_Series: Vampires_**  
**_Character: Rock_**  
**_Comments: Multi-parter. Part 2 of 2._**

It's raining, and he's still lying on the ground where they left him. He feels empty, like a plastic bag filled with holes. It's like the rain goes right through him, as if he were nothing but air. His book-bag is lying in a puddle at the end of the road. All his books are going to be soaked, but he just can't bring himself to care.

It's that damn school. He hates going to school, absolutely loathes it. He's managed to repress some of the worst things that happen day-to-day, and he might as well since nobody's going to help him. All of the grown-ups just walk right past him, and he's convinced that the other students might could kill him and nobody would do anything until it was too late. The wounds they've inflicted on him goes well against the law, yet nobody does anything and he can't do anything because it'll all just get worse then. Not even his friend can help him, since he'll just get involved and Makube couldn't stand that.

It's Makube now, everybody says that and the despicable grown-ups force him to answer to it. They keep saying they "love children", and "Of course he's special" but that's just lies. His torn-up homework is evidence enough, yet the grown-ups still make him redo it and scold him for "lying" that a bully tore it up.

What did he do to deserve this?

Oh, right. He's an orphan.

He's thirteen years old and the world has crumbled ten times over.

….............

He's standing in front of the full-length mirror, adjusting his tie. His hair is black, now, after those damn teachers made him dye it back, despite his protests. But nevermind them, nevermind. His fist is still clenched.

The black suit fits him perfectly. It's not only new, it's tailored specifically to fit. He's thrown the dirty cap away a long time ago, he's no longer a child. Besides, and more importantly, he's got the money and ability to get anything he wants now, and he'd be damned if he wasn't going to use that.

He smirks as he looks nto the mirror. Tonight, he is going to put his master plan into action. His own plan that he tailored himself and it is going to work. There's no more sitting around taking orders from idiotic grown-ups. All he's won by playing by their rules are bruises and beatings, but he'll have his revenge. Oh, how he'll have his revenge.

One last check, yes, the gun rests safely in it's holster. One last practice:

"Mr Utoshita, do you remember a certain student you once had?"

He's seventeen and king of the world.

The picture of a blonde smiling boy in a red newsboy cap sits by his desk, gathering dust.


	5. Seeking Solace: Pheonix:Future

**_5. Seeking Solace_**  
**_Series: Pheonix, Future_**  
**_Character(s): Yamanobe, Tamami_**  
**_Comments: It must be hard for Yamanobe to keep his sanity._**

The smell of the library is dark and musty.

Yamanobe yawns as he flips the pages of what-ever-book-it-is(He's stopped keeping track of their names) and types a few more notes on the computer.

This really is the best way to work, he thinks as he takes another sip from the coffee mug, labeled "Dr. Genious". The kids are in bed(He's decided they have two, a boy and a girl), and Tamami's in her room. She's probably reading a book or studying something, he imagines, for their next game. They'll be going the whole family to Egypt soon, for the sake of the kids' education. He's just going to have to finish this paper on the human cell and then he'll be able to go to sleep. After all, the due date is tomorrow(It's an old dream of his to be a scientist), and his daughter is going to be interested and want to read it in the morning, even though she is too small to possibly comprehend it, and-

The clock strikes twelve, and he's reminded of the fact that it's all just a fickle dream for the last person in the world to find solace in.


	6. Break Away: Dororo

**_6. Break Away_**  
**_Series: Dororo_**  
**_Character(s): See above, Hyakkimaru  
_****_Comments: SPOILERS for the whole series._**

She's been left all alone, again.

'The villagers have all left the gate, and the evening breeze feels cold on her cheek, throughly coated with tears. She's never wept so much in her entire life. Not when father died, not when mother died. Because she's a boy and boys don't cry.

And boys don't cry.

She takes hold of a piece of her clothing and wipes her face. Can't cry forever, now. She's a boy, after all.

Her hands reach for the sword, it feels heavy in her hands, but she swears to one day be able to wield it. She'll train, she'll train hard. And one day, she'll be able to fight alongside him, yes. Some day, he'll return. She hopes, no-decides. And she's not going to forget, she'll remember him.

"_Dororo!"_

It's what he called her, so it'll have to stay. Even if she's not gonna be a thief any more.

And with a solemn smile, she returns to the village, alone. She's still sad to see him leave, of course-But this time, she's not an orphan any more.

She has an older brother who probably, hopefully, is very much alive.


	7. Heaven: Astro Boy

**_7. Heaven_**  
**_Series: Astro Boy_**  
**_Character(s): Astro, Tamao, Shibugaki, Uran, and Roc  
_****_Comments: According to Dark Horse, his name is Roc.._**

Do robots go to heaven?

He's often pondered that question, ever since he first saw a robot get smashed. His mind would think it illogical that whoever was destroyed could be rebuilt, and robots aren't organic, like humans.

He asked Uran once, out of pure curiousity. She got scared and asked him if something was wrong. His mother told him that she honestly had no idea, and he still hadn't gotten a proper answer from Dr. Ochanomizu.

It's during a camping trip with his friends that Roc points to the night sky and says "Look, there's my mother!" And of course Astro questions him on the matter, and Kenichi says he's got a grandma up there, wherever "there" is.

"Do Robots go there, when they die?"

Tamao, who's usually got an answer for any kind of question, gazes awkwardly at the ground. Shibugaki's scratching his head, and Ken sighs "I don't even know if humans actually go to any place when they die, Astro."

"Th-the buddhists believe in reincarnation." Tamao stutters, before continuin more confidently: "It means you get reborn as something else after you die."

"But that's only for humans, ri-" Shibugaki starts before Kenichi cuts him off "Anything with a soul can get reborn, right?"

Tamao nods determidly. "Right! And everything living has a soul."

"Even robots?"

"Robots too." Ken places a hand on his shoulder. "You're here, and you think, right?" Roc chips in. "Everything that thins has a soul, even our kitchen toaster."

"Kitchen toaster?"

And the evening continues with the discussion of various household appliances working on their own whims, and by the time they've gone to bed, Astro's still not sure if there really exists an afterlife for robots.

Though, after he arrives home the following day, he finds Uran deep in thought with a copy of an old DvD movie in her hand, 'Do dogs go to heaven?' He asks her if she's reached any conclusions, and she sighs at him with a troubled expression.

"Y'know, the important thing is to have fun while you still can."

He pats his sister's head and silently blames himself for not coming to the same conclusion sooner.


	8. Innocence: Marvelous Melmo

**_8. Innocence_**  
**_Series: Fushigi Na Melmo_**  
**_Character(s): Melmo and her brothers  
_****_Comments: A child who has to act like an adult is still innocent like a child._**

She hums the opening song of an anime as she puts on an apron and takes out a knife, since she's the oldest, she gets to cook. Just like mama did. The carrot feels cold against her fingers, chop chop chop and chop in a rhythmical fashion until oops the knife slant and there is blood running from her finger quick get the medicine kit there it is just by mama's purse-  
_If mama were here, she'd blow the pain away._

But mama's not coming back, so of course she must tend to it herself. She's had to do lots of things herself the last few months, cooking, cleaning, tending the garden. It's an awful lot of things to do to take care of a household, but it's not like anybody'll do it for her, or remind her to do it. So she makes herself do it, and her younger brother will help out whenever he can. But she's in charge, and he's just a kid, too.

Only, he's not the oldest, so he can't be like mama.

She wipes the blood away with her sleeve. It's a strange feeling, not having a mother or a father, but she's gotten used to it. When she was younger(From when she was four yours old to about five months ago) she used be afraid her mother would die and they'd be all alone, but the only thing that happened was that mother disappeared. Sometimes

Her brother helps her set the table while she brings out tonights dinner, "Don't forget to bring out a spoon for your brother, he's a big boy now" and they all sit down to eat. After two minutes the baby starts throwing his food around, it's yucky and he's sticky and Melmo doesn't really want to touch any of it but she has to, she's used to doing it. She's in mama's place now, after all.

He grins as she tries to feed him. "Mama! Mama!"

And she wants to cry because she's not mama, she's Melmo who can't ever take mama's place.


	9. Drive: Black Jack

**_9. Drive_**  
**_Series: Black Jack_**  
**_Character(s): Black Jack and Pinoco  
_****_Comments: I'm sure they have a connection of some sorts like this.._**

One step, two steps, and that one makes thre- Crash bang and he's back on the ground.

It hurts him terribly, but he'll keep going. He never cries any more when he falls, it's not like it's going to help. It's not like his mother will come to pick him up, and it's not like that damn father of his, _**damn**_ _**him**_, _**damn him to hell**_, will come either. The nurses might help him, but that's not going to get his legs back. And he needs those legs, oh, he needs those legs. If only he could walk, so he could run away to Hong Kong and wring _**someone's**_neck off..

OK, try again. One more time, and get up. One step. Two steps, and that one makes-Three! Four! fi-

Back on the ground. Again. _**Goddamn, these legs...**_

He'd never even dreamed of killing someone before, but, by gods, he did now.

* * *

The little girl struggles terribly as she tries to stand.

She's teared up several times, sometimes looking at him with wide eyes as if she was calling for help, but he can see she's slowly giving up on that. He's not going to yell at her, neither is he going to help her. She'll just have to go on on her own, just like he did.

If she's just going to give up, then whatever did he save her for?

He feels a small tug on his leg.  
She grins happily at him, _Look, look what I can do!_

And sure enough, she's holding onto his pants. He's pretty sure that's cheating, but he's got no idea what to do about the situation. The child's enthusiasm is completely unfamiliar to him, yet the wondering smile makes him want to give her at least some reward. _Though really, gaining a pair of legs should be enough.._  
"Uh, good job. Try to do it yourself next time."

Pinoco smiles even wider, steps back, and manages to hold on with just one hand. He can't say he's impressed, though a tiny flicker of pride does flare up briefly in his heart.


	10. Breathe Again: Apollo's Song

**_10. Breathe Again_**  
**_Series: Apollo's Song_**  
**_Character(s): Shogo and Hiromi  
_****_Comments: This turned out wierd. It was rushed, so..._**

The door slams noicely after him as he enters, lazily kicking his shoes off in the process.  
"Hiromi! I'm back!" 

"Welcome home, Shogo!" She turns away from the newspaper and smiles at him warmly.  
When he sees her, it feels like he's finally started breathing again. He can't explain how, or why, but the time he spent before meeting her feels like an eternity without breath. Maybe it's the fact that she resembles Elize, or maybe it's because she smiles so warmly-He doubts it, his mother could display that fake emotion, too-Usually whenever a patron come to call, and she'd tell him to get straight back to his room.

"Not gonna give me a kiss, are you?" He smirks. Just teasing, of course-There's no way she'd ever take him seriously on this. Hiromi sighs, notably bothered, but still walks over to surprise him with a passionate embrace, sending his mind into a frenzy and taking his breath away, though it feels like it never left.

"Will that do?"  
She smiles shyly and steps away and they're both blushing madly, and Shogo realizes that for once, he actually has to watch his words because somebody cares about them.


	11. Memories: NextWorld

**_11. Memories_**  
**_Series: Nextworld_**  
**_Character(s): Cocoa and Rock  
_****_Comments: Two people making their last memory together at the end of the world._**

They're sitting beneath the mall, or rather, what's left of it. Cocoa's not crying anymore, though her cheeks are puffy and red. Of course she's scared, they're both terrified, but what can you really do when the world is ending in two hours or perhaps fifteen minutes, and you don't know how good you've been so you've got no idea where you'll be going after the world turns dark.

Rock's sure Cocoa will go to heaven, or at least some happy place. He's not sure sure about himself- spying, attempting murder, and as bad as he's been during the last year-

"Rock?"

Cocoa interrupts this train of thought, her eyes not directed at him but rather at something in the

distance. Maybe it's the soul train coming to pick them up?

"Yeah?"

"Do you think we'll go to heaven?" She asks calmly, still averting her gaze.

"What? Of course you'll be going there."They're both slient for a while and she smiles and leans onto his shoulder and says, "You'll be coming too, right?"

"I dunno."

And then they sit there for a while, the commotion in the streets is starting to die down and people are perhaps coming to terms with their impending doom.

Last time they were this close was at a movie theater, before Rock left to become a spy and Casablanca was playing on the big screen. The air was comepletly different, full with suspense and tension-Yet, nobody was overly worried. This was a movie, after all, and if it ended sadly, everyone would just go home and maybe have a little cry and then go to sleep or read a book or do whatever they'd like to do on a saturday night. He'd been happier then- It was before he knew how prisoners were treated, before he'd been snapped in two, and he'd been just plain Rock with his not-yet-but-maybe-soon girlfreind on his arm, and his only care in the world was getting her home on time and finishing his homework.

He feels something warm-Cocoa's taken hold of his hand, now. They used to hold hands all the time as kids, but as he grew older it became a general rule; One day in the cool autumn schoolyard he'd taken her aside and explained that, "Boys don't hold hands". Cocoa'd laughed and said "OK, I won't either.", because every girl in school would hold their best freind's hand. In fact, the playground was covered with kids and most of the girl's were holding someone's hand. Though, that was a trivial little trend back in second grade, he still feels somewhat warm inside about the fact that he's special enough to be holding her hand. Of course he knows the real reason she's holding his hand, but he tries to forget about that, right now. He squeezes her hand lightly without thinking and she squeezes it back.

It's almost to dark to see now.

At the very least, they'll be going together.


End file.
